Our busy life with an amazing veterinarian and cattleman, a gardening, quilting and history loving wife and mother, a creative perfectionist violinist, a spunky and kind epileptic princess, a sweet yet wild little man, and the most mellow and happy babe, on a joyful 1/2 acre living and loving in a beautiful mountain valley.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A few days ago Kelsey and I moved the old rusty swing set from the bark area by the sandbox, to the lawn. You would think we had a brand new fancy swing set! The kids are playing on it all the time now. It really isn't that far away from where it used to be, but I guess the grass makes all the difference!

With the swing set moved, it seems like the sandbox is even more fun too! Who would have thought?

We try to go on a bike ride every evening. The kids love it. Emmitt gets all silly and crazy when we say 'bike ride.' It makes us all giggle. Katie, the cute neighbor girl, usually goes with us and the girls have a ball.

Matt will even go with us once in awhile when he is home. The girls love it when dad comes with us.

Emmitt even tolerates the helmet because he knows what it means. He is such a sweetie.

And speaking of new things, Emmitt discovered markers today. Kelsey was busy sewing on her quilt to get it finished for the fair next week, Kendal was reading and coloring old The Friend magazines, and so Emmitt wanted in on the fun. He loved the markers. He would even put them back when he was finished! Thank goodness for washable markers nowadays!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Kendal wanted to sleep out last night but since the trampoline and the deck was wet, Matt talked her into sleeping in the front room. He made her a little bed out of 'the woodie' cushions that I knew wouldn't last too long. I was right, here she is at 7:00 am still asleep. I knew it wouldn't last long because I have slept on the woodie's cushions and it is a little difficult to keep centered! But she loved it and we all slept happily!

This is the round robin I get to work on this month. The center 4 blocks were made by Timpi, the tiny half square triangles and small border were made by Kami, and then the fun squares were made by Sally. I get to put on the last border for Timpi. Any ideas? I asked my friend who has 'the gift' and she said it is calling for some applique. What do you think?

And, number 3 won out - on both this blog and on facebook. I finished 4 black blocks that needed to be substituted today, so I may begin putting this baby together tonight! Hello 4th Texas Company I of the Confederate States!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Last Saturday Cabelas hosted our group, the Utah Civil War Association, for a day long encampment at their store in Lehi. It was a hot hot hot and fun fun fun day. I always have such a good time with these folks.

Some of the men practiced drilling.

It was such a warm, okay, super hot day. They were great to drill for the public and just to practice their moves!

I spent 95% of my day here, under the shade. I now know the meaning of SWELTERING and why the ladies in the 1860s had fans to keep them cool. Thank goodness for cotton clothing also!

Here are my friends Gail and Amanda, and I made a new friend in John, the camp cook. It was so pleasant to visit with him and the ladies. John, Colonel Sugarfoot, made us some wonderful split peas and ham for lunch. It was so good!

Amanda played her hammer dulcimer, Gail sorted through her healing herbs and wrapped bandages, and I quilted for part of the afternoon. We also did a whole lot of drinking lemonade(thanks to Sugarfoot) and laughing also.

Just because we were at Cabelas, I had to get a picture of a Cabelasish pose. This is a horrible picture, but we went inside to enjoy the modern air conditioning for a bit and went to the shooting range, just to show our womanliness with such things as fake firearms.

The men had a nice handful of tents set up at our encampment. I have become quite fond of stacked arms, so here you go. Doesn't it seem just so manly - stacking arms?

An artillery piece was also brought up for the day. Everyone liked to see this gem and hear about the job of the artillery soldiers.

I just have to show how pretty my hair was for the day. Amanda did it and it turned out so pretty and periodly perfect. There is no way I could pull this off myself - Thanks Amanda!

And here I am - roasting nigh to death and headed home after a great 1860s day. Matt and the kids spent the day in Nephi with cousins. They swam in the pool for most of the day. There are no pictures to show their enjoyment because I had the camera. Thanks Cranes for taking care of my family!

Friday, July 16, 2010

This is my one and only brother, Glen. He is 2 1/2 years older than me. He was a perfect brother growing up - pestered me, tromped me, protected me, teased the heck out of me, Indian tortured me, spit tortured me, let me tag along, the list goes on and on.

He is still a good brother; we don't see each other very much but recently he has started making comments on my blog. Ones like this when I asked for the quilt layout opinions:

I like Number One. But it is little known fact that since Texas was a territory (before statehood) It is a crime for Boys regardless of age to wear dresses. Since Emmitt is a minor they will come down on you!! I would be very careful about giving a blanket to the 4th Texas Company 1 regiment with a small BOY in a dress at my feet. They have weapons and they do know how to use them. Please don't get your self hurt by MAKING your SON wear a dress.Glen

And after I posted a picture of Emmitt's new dress just for him, he responded like this:

What are you doing to me? Please take the dull, rusty knife from my belly and quit twisting it around. That comment about him twirling around in a dress and loving it just about done me in. I have a couple questions: Does Matt know you dress him like that? Do both Grandpas know? Does the rest of his uncles and male cousins know of this abomination? GLen

Glen, this was the picture that was in the Salt Lake Tribune. Isn't he a doll? Now if he wasn't dressed period correct, he wouldn't have been photographed and loved by the public!

Glen is a tough guy and is very concerned. I follow this blog and today's post says it perfectly. Have a read:

Thanks Glen for your concern, but I promise we are okay. Emmitt makes happy tractor noises and runs to the window whenever he hears a big truck go by our house,and has spent most of the last 36 hours on the rocking horse we call THUNDER. He is all boy. By the way, this picture is of the famous egg fight of Easter 2007 between Tori and Glen. Glen won, of course.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Thank you all for your quilting comments. I am going to get busy next week!

We love the parade in Torrey, there is nothing else like it. The kids totally made out with so much candy, glad we sent it home with Tori!

Tori, my mom, and me. I love these girls!

I went to the quilt show again. It makes me so happy when they have it in conjunction with Torrey Apple Days. I was so excited to see this quilt because I thought it was a civil war inspired quilt because of all the reproduction fabrics. My dad talked with the quilter and it turns out that it is a Joseph Smith memorial quilt. It was gorgeous!

After the parade we headed on the mountain to go fishing. We used to go to Coleman Reservoir often when I was little and we were usually the only people there. Well, everyone had the same idea we had and there were so many people there! It was okay, we still roasted some hot dogs and threw some worms into the water.

Emmitt and Matt

Emmitt loves his grandma and grandma. They are wonderful grandparents.

It was fun to chat with my mom, dad, and Tori, and watch Brogan and Emmitt sword fight. Poor Brogan, he got hit too many times and he knows that he isn't supposed to hit back. He is a good little boy! Kendal and Brogan seemed to pal around well. I think Kendal likes that she can be the boss and give out orders instead of being ordered around!

I got my first mosquito bite of the whole year while fishing. I figure my first bite being on July 3rd was not too bad.

I just liked this view coming off the mountain from fishing. We really didn't fish all that hard, but that is what I call spending the afternoon by some water and eating and chatting with family.

The cabin my dad made for us is almost finished. He is just finishing up the chinking on the outside. It is so nice and so fun. Matt loves it, I love it, the kids love it. It is fun that we can stay out there with my sister's family and be out of the way. Thanks dad!

We did a few fireworks before the kids went to bed. It was so cute. Happy Birthday America!!

Sunday my brother's family came over for lunch and the kids played in the water, even though it really wasn't all that warm outside! They had a great time. Kelsey and Kendal love playing with cousins!